Rescuers in Baghdad have pulled more bodies from the rubble of a house that was destroyed in an apparent suicide attack Christmas Eve, raising the death toll to nine people.

There are unconfirmed reports that the dead were all members of the same family.

Meanwhile, the wounded were being treated at Baghdad hospitals. Many of them suffered severe burns in the gas tanker explosion.

Friday's attack further unnerved Christians living in the capital, as many of them did not venture out to subdued Christmas services this Saturday morning.

In the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, the governor said police have arrested a group of men suspected of having organized Sunday's attack in Najaf that killed 52 pilgrims. He said an announcement would be made in Baghdad next week.